Broncos vs. Bears Prediction
The over-under is set very low as the Broncos clash with the Bears Thursday night. Will the two teams struggle to score points?
Oddsmaker Bovada.lv has listed the the Broncos as a 1-point favorite in their preseason opener at the Bears, while the over-under is set at 35.5. The spread opened as a pick’em and the over-under was previously 36.5 before dropping a point.
DENVER BRONCOS: There isn’t really a trusted option under center right now as Trevor Siemian has the inside edge on keeping the starting quarterback position, although the QB of the future is still probably second-year pro Paxton Lynch despite his struggles last year. Right now, neither option excites but someone has to win the job. There is plenty of talent at the skill positions, but right now it’s being minimized due to the game manager quarterbacks on the roster. The Broncos do have a very strong defense led\ by sack machine Von Miller, which once again will help keep them in almost any football game.
CHICAGO BEARS: The Bears are another team with quarterback questions. They overpaid for Mike Glennon in free agency, who may or may not open the season as a starter. That is because Chicago used the second overall draft pick to select Mitch Trubisky, a selection that was much-maligned but could pay off in the long run if his upside pans out. Trubisky will see a lot of action in this game as the Bears want to work with their prized possession as much as possible to develop him into a quality quarterback at the pro level. The loss of Alshon Jeffery in free agency leaves the Bears with a lot of question marks at wide receiver, while the additions of Victor Cruz and Kendall Wright do little to offset the loss of a star. The key at wideout will be second-year pro Kevin White, a 2016 first round draft pick who missed last season due to injury. Running back Jordan Howard should be in line for a big year after bursting onto the scene as a rookie, but his carries will be limited to open the preseason.
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OUR PREDICTION: Bad quarterback play typically means low-scoring football games. Both sides will be looking to get through this game healthy and will only run the basics, leading to a lot of punts and short possessions.
THURSDAY NIGHT NFL PREDICTION: BRONCOS/BEARS UNDER 35.5